Includes bibliographical references and indexes

v. 1. Prehistory to the Middle Ages, 1430-1620 -- v. 2. The Renaissance, 1430-1620 -- v. 3. The Ancien Régime, 1620-1775 -- v. 4. The age of Eloquence, 1775-1820

The renowned art historian Andre Chastel intended his history of art in France from prehistoric times to the nineteenth century to be the crowning achievement of his long and distinguished career. The fruit of ten years of research and writing, this fully documented and erudite study goes beyond conventional art historical analysis to get at the heart of over two millenia of artistic creation

The first volume opens with the artifacts left behind by the earliest inhabitants of the area that forms modern France - prehistoric cave dwellers, Celts, Gallo-Romans, and Merovingians - which are examined in Part I, along with the stunning artistic achievements of Charlemagne and his Carolingian successors. Part II explores the development of monumental Romanesque and Gothic sculpture and architecture, as well as the growing importance of manuscript illumination, ivory carving, and precious metalwork. The late Gothic period is the subject of the last section, which concludes with the highly refined and stylized courtly art of the late fourteenth and early fifteenth centuries - the final and perfect flowering of the medieval world

A synthesis of the social, economic, political and intellectual conditions of each period covered provides the context for a detailed examination of the works of art and documents featured in the copious illustrations. Chastel's exacting scholarship and lively and accessible style make this monumental and beautifully designed volume an essential reference for art historians and students as well as a superb gift for anyone seeking to comprehend fully the highest artistic achievements of French civilization

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